Six steps to a handsome creative proposal

From our name, it’s clear we are a modest bunch here at Devilishly Handsome Productions. We often blush when clients are kind enough to compliment our professional work ethic and sexy production content.

Another skill we have is our creative writing ability – specifically the ability to respond to briefs with really, really great proposals. It’s why we rarely lose a competitive pitch and – whether the project moves ahead or not – we frequently get quiet compliments from their recipients.

Obviously these prized documents reveal a peek behind the curtain of many past campaigns, both speculative and successful. They contain secrets that must be kept. They are the silent performers that are so important to our business and, as a creative video production company, embody the secret to our success.

In an effort to celebrate this often unseen art form, we’re going to share six points that we feel create a compelling proposition that is hard to ignore.

Creative Research. Ok, seems obvious, but answering the brief with brilliant ideas that are suitable for the client is the key. How we get to those ideas…. not so obvious. We undertake meticulous research and examine old campaigns for the brand or client on multiple platforms. We learn and understand how they like to convey their voice, and we identify how that voice can evolve and strengthen their core message. Not many brands want something completely new with little of their existing DNA. A gentle reboot of this identity that brings fresh perspective within the parameters of the new brief is the way to go.

Create a narrative. Creative ideas can be hard to convey on paper. Putting them into a linear structure is needed for the client to follow your train of thought. Much like a good piece of content, taking the client on a journey through the creative proposal breaks down barriers. We disassemble each element of the idea: story, visuals, assets, style, brand voice…and we work out how to feed each one to the client to ensure that they understand the full scope of our award-winning pitch.

Visual Design. Clients are, on the whole, time poor. The last thing these guys need are long, rambling chunks of text to wade through. The idea needs to be conveyed in the fastest, most compelling way possible. If a picture tells a thousand words, you should make the proposal as visual as possible. Everybody is drawn to good design – we make sure every slide or page in our proposal is a piece of art.

References/examples. However creative you might be, sometimes the people you are pitching to are… not. Always help convey the exact style and tone of what you want to do by stuffing your proposal with loads of visual references – video and imagery. To really stand out, consider creating some spec work on your own time – it has always been well received by our clients.

Don’t be precious Always give as much detail and transparency as necessary… within reason. The creative industries are competitive but creative work cannot be wholly owned in this day and age. Provide more than one idea if possible. Give your best creative thoughts and give them freely – more often than not you will be rewarded.

Bring extra value. We wrote an article last year about how film production companies need to work harder. Consider how the content you want to create can be adapted and retooled into bonus content for other platforms or even other campaigns. For example, could you create cut down or truncated versions for social media distribution? Added value for them – not much cost for you.

Want to get a peek of one of these prized documents for your next project? Get in touch. No cost. No questions asked.